Chamber Babies 2018

Live Classical Music for Little Listeners

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“What a lovely way to share a Saturday morning with my Grandson Finn”

“Super – loved it. Looking forward to future similar events.”

Chamber Babies is a new venture initiated by BMS in 2014, designed to offer the best live classical music to the youngest listeners (and their mums and dads). We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Crescent Arts Centre on this venture, and concerts take place in the relaxed setting of the CAC’s Cube venue.

The concerts are very informal, and the short programmes are designed for babies and adults alike. You can walk, sway, crawl, roll, dance or just chill out to a careful selection of short classical pieces designed both to engage and enchant (or soothe to sleep!). Concerts are aimed at babies from 0-18 months old.

All Chamber Babies concerts are performed by professional classical musicians from Northern Ireland. We welcome all listeners, no matter how young (including mums with bumps!). Take time to enjoy coffee and cake at the Crescent Arts Centre’s cafe before or after the concert.

Belfast Music Society has brought out a CD of classical music forlittle listeners. You can listen to extracts and purchase the CD here

Anne Harper (clarinet)

Sunday 18 November 2018 10.30 am
Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast

Tickets: £6.00 per adult
(babies are free)NB At least one adult per baby

Online tickets sales processed by We Got Tickets. Concerts often sell out in advance. If we are sold out, you may be able to get tickets from our partners, the Crescent Arts Centre.

Anne Harper grew up in Belfast and later attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) in Glasgow where she was awarded a first-class Honours degree and an MMus in Performance with Distinction. A busy freelance career followed, which saw her performing regularly with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Camerata Ireland, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and National Symphony Orchestra, and the Ulster Orchestra.

Anne is also an Associate of the Ulster Orchestra, helping to deliver their education and community engagement programme. An enthusiastic and passionate educator, her instrumental students have gone on to win places at music colleges and universities throughout the UK. Anne takes an holistic approach to her teaching, believing that we give our best performances when we feel confident, grounded, and supported.

Anne Harper (clarinet)

Sunday 18 November 2018 11.30 am
Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast

Tickets: £6.00 per adult
(babies are free)NB At least one adult per baby

Online tickets sales processed by We Got Tickets. Concerts often sell out in advance. If we are sold out, you may be able to get tickets from our partners, the Crescent Arts Centre.

Anne Harper grew up in Belfast and later attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) in Glasgow where she was awarded a first-class Honours degree and an MMus in Performance with Distinction. A busy freelance career followed, which saw her performing regularly with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Camerata Ireland, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and National Symphony Orchestra, and the Ulster Orchestra.

Anne is also an Associate of the Ulster Orchestra, helping to deliver their education and community engagement programme. An enthusiastic and passionate educator, her instrumental students have gone on to win places at music colleges and universities throughout the UK. Anne takes an holistic approach to her teaching, believing that we give our best performances when we feel confident, grounded, and supported.

The Cellists (cello duo)

Sunday 19 August 2018 10.30 am
Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast

Tickets: £6.00 per adult
(babies are free)NB At least one adult per baby

Online tickets sales processed by We Got Tickets. Concerts often sell out in advance. If we are sold out, you may be able to get tickets from our partners, the Crescent Arts Centre.

Having performed separately in many a string quartet, professional cellists Cecily Smith Nesbitt and Andrew Nesbitt came together to form what has become “The Cellists” in 2008. The Cellists is a professional cello duo providing high-quality, enjoyable string music of all types and genres, including Classical, Indie, R&B, Rock, Pop, Film and Dance music. Cecily also has many years’ experience of bringing music into hospitals, and has been associated with the Medical Notes project at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital as a performer and mentor. When she’s not doing any of that, she’s studying part-time for her Masters in Psychology and probably also knitting/sewing!

The Cellists (cello duo)

Sunday 19 August 2018 11.30 am
Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast

Tickets: £6.00 per adult
(babies are free)NB At least one adult per baby

Online tickets sales processed by We Got Tickets. Concerts often sell out in advance. If we are sold out, you may be able to get tickets from our partners, the Crescent Arts Centre.

Having performed separately in many a string quartet, professional cellists Cecily Smith Nesbitt and Andrew Nesbitt came together to form what has become “The Cellists” in 2008. The Cellists is a professional cello duo providing high-quality, enjoyable string music of all types and genres, including Classical, Indie, R&B, Rock, Pop, Film and Dance music. Cecily also has many years’ experience of bringing music into hospitals, and has been associated with the Medical Notes project at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital as a performer and mentor. When she’s not doing any of that, she’s studying part-time for her Masters in Psychology and probably also knitting/sewing!

Nadene Fiorentini (piano)

Saturday 9 June 2018 10.30 am
Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast

Tickets: £6.00 per adult
(babies are free)NB At least one adult per baby

Online tickets sales processed by We Got Tickets. Concerts often sell out in advance. If we are sold out, you may be able to get tickets from our partners, the Crescent Arts Centre.

Nadene Fiorentini, the National Concert Hall’s ‘Rising Star’ of 2014, made her solo recital debut on the main stage of the NCH in March 2014 and her concerto debut with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra in July of the same year.

As well as concert engagements, Nadene currently works at Queens University and is also a dedicated private piano tutor. She worked as a teaching fellow at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin for a number of years and continues to work as an examiner for the RIAM. She has performed all over Ireland, at the International Clandeboye Festival, the ‘Music for Wexford’ and ‘Music for Galway’ series’, the Sligo ‘Con Brio’ series and St. Barrahane’s Festival in West Cork.

In December 2014, Nadene released her debut solo piano album entitled Nadene Fiorentini, Piano Recital, produced by Pine Valley Studios and commissioned by the Dublin International Piano Competition.

Nadene Fiorentini (piano)

Saturday 9 June 2018 11.30 am
Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast

Tickets: £6.00 per adult
(babies are free)NB At least one adult per baby

Online tickets sales processed by We Got Tickets. Concerts often sell out in advance. If we are sold out, you may be able to get tickets from our partners, the Crescent Arts Centre.

Nadene Fiorentini, the National Concert Hall’s ‘Rising Star’ of 2014, made her solo recital debut on the main stage of the NCH in March 2014 and her concerto debut with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra in July of the same year.

As well as concert engagements, Nadene currently works at Queens University and is also a dedicated private piano tutor. She worked as a teaching fellow at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin for a number of years and continues to work as an examiner for the RIAM. She has performed all over Ireland, at the International Clandeboye Festival, the ‘Music for Wexford’ and ‘Music for Galway’ series’, the Sligo ‘Con Brio’ series and St. Barrahane’s Festival in West Cork.

In December 2014, Nadene released her debut solo piano album entitled Nadene Fiorentini, Piano Recital, produced by Pine Valley Studios and commissioned by the Dublin International Piano Competition.

Agnew McAllister Duo (flute & guitar)

Sunday 15 April 2018 10.30 am
Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast

Tickets: £6.00 per adult
(babies are free)NB At least one adult per baby

Online tickets sales processed by We Got Tickets. Concerts often sell out in advance. If we are sold out, you may be able to get tickets from our partners, the Crescent Arts Centre.

Irish flautist Aisling Agnew and Scottish Guitarist Matthew McAllister are internationally recognised as one of the leading flute & guitar duos. They are renowned for deeply engaging performances, imaginative programming and consummate artistry. Since giving their first concert together at the Harty Room in Belfast in 2001 they have performed extensively around the world earning the highest admiration from audiences.

Past performances include two US tours as well as concerts in Italy, France, Austria, Holland, Peru, Costa Rica, Malaysia, UK and Ireland as well as numerous broadcasts on radio including Classic FM and RTÉ Lyric FM. The Duo recorded their critically acclaimed début CD Recital in 2006, they featured on the Lyric FM CD Hiccup and their most recent recording Bidla was released in 2015.

Agnew McAllister Duo (flute & guitar)

Sunday 15 April 2018 11.30 am
Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast

Tickets: £6.00 per adult
(babies are free)NB At least one adult per baby

Online tickets sales processed by We Got Tickets. Concerts often sell out in advance. If we are sold out, you may be able to get tickets from our partners, the Crescent Arts Centre.

Irish flautist Aisling Agnew and Scottish Guitarist Matthew McAllister are internationally recognised as one of the leading flute & guitar duos. They are renowned for deeply engaging performances, imaginative programming and consummate artistry. Since giving their first concert together at the Harty Room in Belfast in 2001 they have performed extensively around the world earning the highest admiration from audiences.

Past performances include two US tours as well as concerts in Italy, France, Austria, Holland, Peru, Costa Rica, Malaysia, UK and Ireland as well as numerous broadcasts on radio including Classic FM and RTÉ Lyric FM. The Duo recorded their critically acclaimed début CD Recital in 2006, they featured on the Lyric FM CD Hiccup and their most recent recording Bidla was released in 2015.

Rebekah Durston (violin)

Saturday 3 March 2018 10.30 am
Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast

Tickets: £5.00 per adult
(babies are free)
NB At least one adult per baby

Rebekah Durston began studying the violin at the age of seven and attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Junior Department. She was a music scholar at Charterhouse, before going to the University of York to study music and continuing her studies as a postgraduate at the Royal College of Music as a Leverhulme Scholar. She was awarded the Century Early Music Prize and graduated with distinction.Rebekah subsequently worked all over Europe as a violinist while based in London, and enjoyed performing with the King’s Consort, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the London Handel Orchestra and the Academy of Ancient Music, to name a few. In 2001 she moved to Northern Ireland with her young family and started to teach violin. In 2007 she founded the Ballymena Chamber Orchestra, a highly successful community-based orchestra that performs regularly throughout the year.

She was awarded a BEM in the New Year’s Honours List for her services to music in Northern Ireland.

Rebekah Durston (violin)

Saturday 3 March 2018 11.30 am
Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast

Tickets: £5.00 per adult
(babies are free)
NB At least one adult per baby

Rebekah Durston began studying the violin at the age of seven and attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Junior Department. She was a music scholar at Charterhouse, before going to the University of York to study music and continuing her studies as a postgraduate at the Royal College of Music as a Leverhulme Scholar. She was awarded the Century Early Music Prize and graduated with distinction.

Rebekah subsequently worked all over Europe as a violinist while based in London, and enjoyed performing with the King’s Consort, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the London Handel Orchestra and the Academy of Ancient Music, to name a few. In 2001 she moved to Northern Ireland with her young family and started to teach violin. In 2007 she founded the Ballymena Chamber Orchestra, a highly successful community-based orchestra that performs regularly throughout the year.

She was awarded a BEM in the New Year’s Honours List for her services to music in Northern Ireland.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there changing facilities?
Yes, the Crescent Arts Centre has baby changing facilities in the ladies toilets, situated on the ground floor of the building near to the Cube.

Can I feed my baby during the concert?
Of course. There is a mixture of seating, from chairs to bean bags to play mats on the floor, so you can choose the most comfortable spot for you and your baby.

What if my baby cries or makes a noise during the concert?
That’s fine. Don’t feel embarrassed if your baby joins in with a few squeals. We only ask that adults don’t talk to each other during the performance, just as you wouldn’t during a ‘normal’ concert – you can save the chat for the cafe!

What is Chamber Music?
Chamber music is classical music written for small groups of instruments (usually fewer than 12). Typical examples are string quartets, duos such as violin & piano or voice & piano, and trios (usually piano, violin and cello). We also include solo instruments such as piano, concert harp or guitar, and many other small combinations of instruments including wind (e.g. flute, clarinet) and brass instruments (e.g. trumpet).

Is my baby the right age for classical music?
We have designed these concerts for a mainly pre-walking audience. You are never to young to enjoy classical music, and we know babies can hear music in the womb. Most of the music is gentle, though there are livelier pieces too. If you would like to know what will be in the programme, drop us an email at info@belfastmusicsociety.org

Is there somewhere to leave my buggy?
Buggies can be left safely in a separate room adjacent to the Cube.

How long is the concert?
The concert lasts 40 minutes. Our first two concerts have been designed with a 20 minute gap between them, so there is time to enjoy a coffee before or afterwards.

Where is the Crescent Arts Centre?
The Crescent Arts Centre is situated at 2-4 University Road, next to the Crescent Church, just before the junction with the Lisburn Road.